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The facts from Wenger and Gazidis on his Arsenal extension – plus videos

There are very few people surprised that Arsene Wenger has signed a new extension to his contract, and we probably all know that the terms were agreed six months ago, and it was probably a good idea to leave the announcement to after we had won the Cup Final.

Ivan Gazidis admitted to the Arsenal staff that he was sorry to have kept them in suspense until now, and his email to them all revealed his feelings on the subject. Here is what he wrote: ‘I am writing to you to let you know that we’ve agreed a two-year extension to Arsene Wenger’s contract as our manager.

‘Know there has been significant speculation around this over the past 24 hours but it is important we do things in the right way which is why we have not commented until now.

‘I want you to know this is a decision that has been taken in the best long term interests of the club. We are clear that Arsene is the best person to help fulfil our ambition to win the Premier League and other major trophies in Europe.

‘Arsene and I have conducted a full review of our on and off pitch activities to identify areas for improvement to build a sustained tale challenge.

‘We will be working on this during what will be a busy summer and look forward to another exciting season starting in August.

‘I recognise this has been an unsettling time for many of you and thank you for the way you have maintained your focus during the period.

‘It underlines the importance of always being together and staying true to our principles and values.

23 thoughts on “The facts from Wenger and Gazidis on his Arsenal extension – plus videos”

If you listen to everything that has come out of the club over the last day or so, it’s just been your typically vague, PR, rubbish! They churn this stuff out anytime they’re asked about forward planning, or when Wenger’s signing new contracts. No one has a clue what they’re doing!

Nothing will change! Clubs are already making big signings, and what are Arsenal doing: a free transfer so far, and some nobody from the Belgium league who’ll probably just be the next Sanogo, or Asano! Our two big names will probably leave because of the wage structure, the fact the club is clearly regressing, and no Champions League. Wenger will not get anywhere near winning the league, Europe we have a chance because the opposition is so weak in Europa, but Wenger will probably mess it up as he has a terrible record in Europe, League Cup he doesn’t take seriously enough to win, so yet again, the FA Cup is our only hope of any success next season. It’s a complete mess!

The protests will just continue as well next season, the infighting will continue with the fans, so it’ll all just be a repeat of this season. Everyone also needs to realise that Champions League qualification is Wenger’s main target next season, nothing else. So as always, the wrong mentality will be instilled into the players.

And what odds Arsenal lose their opening game of the season because of a lack of preparation? The club is an absolute shambles!

Hate to say, we are the next Everton. After Alexis and Ozil leave, we will be an average club with Europa League qualification as our target. So much for self reliant finance structure of Kronkes and Gazidis.

It is what it is…he has signed a 2 year contract! The worst kept secret I’ve seen in a long time and how bad was it all mishandled. If there was a trophy handed out for bad management surely Arsenal would’ve won it this year no doubt.
All we can do now is wait and see…let me be clear I have no expectations whatsoever for this summer transfer window as the amount of things to solve are just huge. Wenger is making himself no service by “promising” once again “top, top” player (whatever that means for him now).
This squad needs an overhaul, not a huge one but one that sends a wake up call, a shock to the players that aren’t part of it. Wenger has to be ruthless because in my opinion that is the only way how he is making those signings.
Without Champions League football, whoever big name, world class player they go for they will have to overpay! Not only that they will have to convince them somehow that they will win something major that will compensate for that this coming season…not easy at all to sell that!
Selling players will have to happen, those that have underachieved, underperformed and never really push Arsenal up there. Players that are on big wages not justified, when you look at it we’re not far off City wage bill.
Whatever movements are done…the goal would be to free wages, convince Özil but even more Sanchez to at least extend a year or 2 with a promise to let them go next year if nothing significant is won. Include them in your pitch to those top, top players and sign them early weather that be 2 or 3 top players that would be all we need if they are the proper targets (like Suarez or Higuain back in 2013). As they would need assurance that those are here to stay and determined to win with AFC. Finally we should a few other names being extend like Ox or Ramsey.

Indeed a busy summer it will be unless our rumoured war chest is another one of those same old every year where we end up losing both our star player, not recruiting big and starting the season unprepared and with injuries…Busy summer it will be, let’s wait and see

I have been a Wenger out supporter since 2012 when he sold Van Persie to Fergie. For me, that was unforgivable. But it is hard to blame him for signing a new contract worth £8 million a year.
It is all Stan Kroenke. I’m not saying anything negative about Wenger again because it isn’t worth getting angry over, it’s done. If the owner is happy with his services, then maybe we need a new owner.
And Gazidis, I don’t even know why Gazidis is there or has a job if Kroenke, the board and Wenger over rule him all the time.
So next time Arsenal are having a bad run and the supporters want to protest. Protest against Stan Kroenke, he is the one that gave Wenger a new contract.

Ar$ene shall not be exonerated in all of this. The clown is complicit in all of this with the board. He defends $tan when fans protested against him this season and identifies with the way they want business done at the club.

If there is anything we have learnt in all of this is that Ar$ene holds absolute power at the club. He could have chosen to walk away even when offered a new deal (which he probably decided himself) but chose to selfishly stay to earn his big wage packet. Ar$ene clearly deals with all matters related to transfers etc and therefore did not want a DOF. And he is in charge of tactics etc and not $tan. So BOTH of them should be protested against.

Come on G-Force, I don’t think anyone in their right mind would pass up a £8 million a year job.
As much as I want Wenger to go, the only person he has to please is the guy that gave him the contract, Stan Kroenke.

Sam Allardyce and other managers have walked away from their million £ salaries. Not £8 mil but you get my point. Anyways as Ar$ene said in his defence of $tan:

“I respect Stan Kroenke a lot. He is not at fault if we did not reach the Champions League. It is the technical department who is responsible for that. I don’t see what he has to do with that.”

Ar$ene has been given money to spend these last seasons and he wasted it on Perez for example who he didn’t even use.
Back in those days he sold RVP as you said and did not replace him with quality. I remember you on this site @Frank and we have been through all that 🙂 He bought Santos, Park, Squillaci, Gervinho etc etc not $tan. As he said himself, it is the technical department (i.e himself, which he conveniently just generalized!!) who is responsible. But of course he blames everything else like fans, teams on holiday etc etc.

So as much I agree with @Break-on-through and you that $tan
is an issue, we must not forget that Ar$ene is responsible for the ‘technical aspects’ – transfers, tactics and from what we learnt basically everything. Based on the results he has produced on the pitch (which has nothing to do with $tan), he should be targeted directly, in my opinion of course.

You named some pretty average players there, hahaha. I admit, Wenger is absolutely clueless in the transfer market and I would go as far as saying one of the worst in the world. I can’t even remember the last time he had the squad complete before the start of a season. He buys the same style of players, mostly spineless when the going gets tough.
I don’t think most fans understand that Sanchez is our only player that can win us a game. If you want something special or need a leader to pick the team up, Sanchez is the only world class player Arsenal have. Ozil won’t, he isn’t world class and goes hiding, he isn’t a leader. So basically, if Sanchez goes, Arsenal is f#$ked.
The only thing us supporters can hope for is that Wenger buys a world class defensive midfielder, centre back to replace Mert, an attacking midfielder that won’t go hiding and hope that one of these young strikers from the academy or he buys steps up and is the next Anelka because he won’t spend on a striker. We need that spine back in our team, players that will play for the badge.

Leicester has proved that you can win the league with average-above average players (& a couple quality ones) when you play with heart & passion, a decent manager, and even with significantly less resources and without a state-of-the-art training facilities that Arsenal has. They even made it farther than Arsenal in the CL in their first attempt and put up a good fight against Atletico.

It will be interesting to see the developments on Sanchez’s contract saga but I reckon it will be like RVP all over again. Totally agree with you mate that we need leaders on the pitch and players who play for the badge and also about Ozil. I don’t think he is worth the salary he is holding out for when he disappears most of the time.

Yes, we will compete for the biggest prizes, get the best players (if we can find them) and turn water into wine. By the way, did you know that you can renew your season ticket now and please visit the armoury on your way out.

Values,, yes we want more value in terms of finances , yes please..so shut up and pay up folks.:

You made a point by saying while other teams are singing players Arsenal are busy with contract extensions, City have already signed Edison and Silva while Arsenal have already done there customary one early, not really heard of signing till transfer deadline day. I really don’t think Arsene will change his ways, i don’t think he will compete with the elite clubs in the transfer window

The only fact stated here is: “Please buy more merch, people. We really want you to have that 2017/18 jersey, that brand new gunners cap, that top of the line AFC scarf. Buy our stuff, people, we pinky promise we’ll do everything in our power to almost sign top top players.”
And once the transfer window is over, we’ll find out we almost signed Aubameyang, Benzema, Icardi, James, Mbappe and Belloti, but finally settled on Welbz and Giroud, especially since Welbz is like a new signing, we’ll see Sanchez in Bayern and Ozil who knows where.
I hope at least WOB will refrain from buying 2017/18 merch.

top and upwards moving players always snubed Arsenal and that was when we had CL football, now we have to pay over the top for players to come and I don’t see that hapening because we never paid the regular price never mind the extra to attract Thursday night football

The words coming out of Kroenke and Gazidis since Wenger’s the contract extension have been saying all the right things.

So now, if we fail to make the necessary signings, it will be clear that either:

(a) Wenger is the one putting the brakes on buying established top-quality players, or…

(b) The majority shareholder, board, and manager have colluded in presenting lies to the fans

(a) Is definitely true, because Wenger hates strong characters in the dressing room, and clearly avoids working with established successful professionals that might challenge him. (b) Has been happening passively, with the club just allowing him to get on with it, and not challenging him to do better.

The good news for Gooners is that following the recent statements from Gazidis and Kroenke, there is nowhere to hide any more. Wenger must deliver, and they must be seen to be ensuring that, or get rid of him. Otherwise the discontent among fan will get a lot worse, and they’ll be in a much more difficult positon next year, and the year after.

I don’t think there is more important business than signing Alexis up. Also the fact Kolasinac is free doesn’t bother me, Alexis will be free in a year, Sol was free, many good ones were gotten on the free. So long as he’s solid and reliable that’s all I care. And this kid for 6m, people are right to point to Holding who was one our first signings last season, and he turned out possibly to be the best one. Mbappe was missed also like people point out. I remember people here having a go at Wenger for not getting Mbappe done even though he was the only one on his case. I pointed out that people would’ve had a go at Wenger for signing an unknown lad like that, but people spoke as if they’d act nothing of the sort, and now look already. If people had of been honest about it then it wouldn’t bother me, if when they heard about Wenger being at his house and trying to get a deal done ..said instead, well in fairness, I can imagine myself being a bit pissed for signing some unknown French teenager, but now after seeing him I feel a little sick we missed out, and it was a good spot on Wenger’s part. Finished by saying, in hindsight of course, right now I’d definitely have preferred Mbappe to Perez.